Enter Irnakk
by Schattenu
Summary: A songfic about a Matoran and the horrifying legend that lives in the nightmares of the Skakdi, using Metallica's Enter Sandman. Won honorable mentions in Short Story Contest 3 on BZPower!


Enter Irnakk

Ahkmou gathered up his courage and took a deep breath. He had looked up to the shadowed entity who called himself Makuta for well over a century. But enough was enough; the Toa had defeated everything the Makuta had thrown at them: Rahi, Bohrok, and Bohrok-Kal had all met defeat at the hands of the supposed "guardians" of Mata Nui. Ahkmou was done with these games.

The Po-Matoran marched out into the Mangaia, completely ignoring the green mist and strange experimental monsters at his feet. Makuta was no where to be seen, but Ahkmou had known better. If he had learned anything from living down in this underworld, it was not to trust his senses.

"Makuta!" he called, trying his best to stifle the fear in his voice.

Something black began darting back and forth toward the Matoran and an unnatural speed. It stopped before Ahkmou as a mere shadow, but then began to grow off the stone floor and take a massive shape.

"Yes?"

Ahkmou took another deep breath. "Makuta, I can't take this anymore." He flinched, expecting some attack. When nothing happened, and he saw Makuta just standing there listening, he continued. "Ever since those Toa came it's been nothing but losses! The infection of Po-Koro failed, the Rahi failed, the swarms failed, _every_thing failed! And, in all honesty, I want to try other things. I want out."

Makuta stared at the little creature. He knew this day would come; Ahkmou was of no more use to him. "Very well," he replied. "One last job from you, Ahkmou, and you are free to go. I want you to squeeze that tiny body of yours through that giant doorway. Beyond it you will find a boat docked to a stone plateau. Sail to the south, through four tunnels, until you reach an island." Ahkmou caught a glimpse of a venom flyer head through the eyehole of the large stone Hau. "They will be expecting you."

Ahkmou's welcome was a horrifying one. A bipedal creature met him at the dock of rotted wood. Crimson eyes burned into the Po-Matoran like lasers as the thing smiled a savage green. The spines that lined his upper arms and his entire back seemed to twitch with excitement. His gold and red armor was adorned with skulls and feathers. He held a wicked staff in his right hand, which also bore beads and brightly-colored feathers. He was a shaman.

The shaman led Ahkmou to a small stone temple and sat him on a type of bed – at least, that's what it looked like.

_Say your prayers, little one_

_Don't forget, my son,_

_To include everyone_

The chant confused Ahkmou, yet he sat and listened intently. The shaman summoned a blanked of sorts from thin air, which wrapped tightly around the Matoran.

_Tuck you in, warm within_

_Keep you free from sin_

_Till Irnakk, he comes_

_Irnakk?_ Ahkmou thought. _What in Makuta's name is an Irnakk?_

_Sleep with one eye open_

_Gripping your pillow tightly_

_Exit light_

_Enter night_

_Take my hand_

_We're off to never never land_

Ahkmou took the outstretched hand in his own as the shaman laid him down.

_Something's wrong, shut the light_

_Heavy thoughts tonight_

_And they aren't of snow white_

_Dreams of war, dreams of liars_

_Dreams of dragon's fire_

_And of things that will bite_

_Sleep with one eye open_

_Gripping your pillow tight_

_Exit light_

_Enter night_

_Take my hand_

_We're off to never never land_

"Now, repeat this next part after me," the shaman ordered.

_Now I lay me down to sleep_

_Pray Mata Nui my soul to keep_

_If I die before I wake_

_Pray Mata Nui my soul to take_

Ahkmou didn't like the sound of it, but he repeated it anyway. He heard a deep growling from beneath the raised platform he was on. The shaman held up a hand to silence his repeating.

_Hush, little baby, don't say a word_

_And never mind that noise you heard_

_It's just the beast under your bed_

_In your closet, in your head_

_Exit light_

_Enter night_

_Grain of sand_

_Exit light_

_Enter night_

_Take my hand_

_We're off to never never land_

Ahkmou heard something behind him. He turned his head to see a massive beast with a gold spine, grinning at him. Ahkmou quickly jumped off of the platform and began to run. But the shaman grabbed him by the back of his neck and brought him up to his face.

"Irnakk demands Matoran sacrifice annually," the shaman hissed.

He threw Ahkmou towards the monster. Ahkmou saw its crimson eyes glow before being enveloped in a red haze in mid-air. He no longer felt physical; he was a thought.

And by the time he realized that Makuta had fed him to this horrifying creature, he was gone.


End file.
